Will Audiophiles take to Deezer’s Sonos-backed US Launch?

Deezer announced this week that the online streaming service is launching in the US, partnering with wireless speakers company Sonos to launch exclusively “Deezer Elite,” a $19.99/month high-quality audio service destined towards audiophiles.

The launch comes almost a year after rumors of Deezer’s search for a launch partner began to drop – Microsoft was, until now, the most likely partner, though Sonos is a smart choice for Deezer as they look to differentiate themselves from their rival Spotify.

The US Press seems to have received the launch well – the general sentiment is “it’s a little late, but the lossless service might work in their favor.” Of course, Deezer will eventually bring Deezer elite to other markets, and they will bring their standard $9.99/month offer to the US; however, as they try to squeeze their way into a market dominated by Spotify, Beats Music, Samsung Milk, Pandora, Rdio & others, the audiophile positioning is likely their best option.